SP condemns demolition of mosque in Delhi

Condemning the demolition of a
mosque in Delhi by the DDA, Samajwadi Party said the
matter could have been sorted out through negotiations and
asked Centre and state government to rebuild the structure.

Lucknow: Condemning the demolition of a
mosque in Delhi by the DDA, Samajwadi Party on Saturday said the
matter could have been sorted out through negotiations and
asked Centre and state government to rebuild the structure.

"The demolition on the Noor Masjid in the dead of night
on the directives of the chief minister of Delhi has increased
a sense of insecurity among Muslims and had the Delhi
government let the court know the ground realities, the
demolition could have been averted," SP chief Mulayam Singh
Yadav told newspersons here.

The mosque was demolished by Delhi Development Authority
in south-east Delhi`s Jangpura-B Block area on Wednesday on
orders of Delhi High Court, amidst heavy police presence.

However, six persons, including four policemen, were injured
after agitators took to stone-pelting protesting the
demolition.

Yadav who visited the Jama Masjid yesterday where around
two lakh Muslims offered Friday prayers and met the Shahi Imam
compared the demolition of the Noor Masjid with the Ayodhya
demolition carried out 18 years ago terming it as "second
Ayodhya case".

To a question that the demolition was carried out on
Delhi High Court orders, Yadav said courts have delivered
decisions on religious matters in the past also but
negotiations are a better way to sort them out.

Attacking the Congress, Yadav alleged that whenever the
party has been at the helm, such issues have cropped up and
cited the "shilanayas", opening of locks and demolition in
Ayodhya.

The mosque was demolished by Delhi Development Authority
in south-east Delhi`s Jangpura-B Block area on Wednesday on
orders of Delhi High Court, amidst heavy police presence.

However, six persons, including four policemen, were injured
after agitators took to stone-pelting protesting the
demolition.

Yadav who visited the Jama Masjid yesterday where around
two lakh Muslims offered Friday prayers and met the Shahi Imam
compared the demolition of the Noor Masjid with the Ayodhya
demolition carried out 18 years ago terming it as "second
Ayodhya case".

To a question that the demolition was carried out on
Delhi High Court orders, Yadav said courts have delivered
decisions on religious matters in the past also but
negotiations are a better way to sort them out.

Attacking the Congress, Yadav alleged that whenever the
party has been at the helm, such issues have cropped up and
cited the "shilanayas", opening of locks and demolition in
Ayodhya.